WITH the change in season came the promise of rain with some areas coping a deluge that will help quench the parched river bed along some sections of the Darling River.

Too late for countless fishes and welcome relief for others that were gasping in small pools of grime barely fit for stock to drink.

Let's hope this rain continues and the woes of this mighty waterway can be resolved with a little common sense and a few less greased palms.

There is much to like about the change in season, not least of all the drop in temperature.

Cool mornings mark the start of the best cod fishing as the river and its inhabitants make change for the new season.

It won't take long and the bountiful volume of river shrimp will begin to drop away in numbers as the water begins to cool.

Native fish are in tune to this event and make the most of the opportunity before these transparent snacks become hard to find.

Other baits too are influenced by the seasonal change and the cod are set for a top water treat that takes to the wing with the autumn rains.

Ghost moths, the adult version of the bardie grub, will hatch with the first of the rains and many will find their way onto the water.

The flapping action on the river surface is quick to attract the attention of Murray cod and these fat moths are boofed from the top in a lip clad explosion.

These hatches are a great time to break out the surface lures for a truly memorable bite.

As the weather and water temperatures continue to drop the boney bream begin to cluster in huge schools.

On the sounder they appear as underwater clouds, sometimes stretching a hundred metres or more.

Gathered on mass, they become an easy meal for cod and perch alike and both species will take on a pelagic like hunting style were they follow the bait. It's not uncommon to see several big cod hunting a large bait ball and on a few occasions in the past a double hook up on metre fish was achieved tr...